Head Coach Dean Smith notched his 50th win in all competitions for Charlotte FC less than three years after being appointed as the Gaffer as The Crown beat D.C. United 2-1 at Audi Field on September 19.
"We keep getting told how tough it is to go and win points on the road, and we're doing that, and we had to do it," Smith said. "We knew that in the back end of the season from the World Cup break, and we've actually enjoyed going away from home and playing and getting the results battling."
Ashley Westwood opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, his first action since serving a two-match suspension.
An Allan-Saint Maximin pass to the center of the box was deflected out, allowing Westwood to run onto the ball for a first-touch strike. Westwood launched the shot from the top of the box, hammering the ball past Sean Johnson into the top right corner. The goal was his third of the season, tying his career-high with the Club.
"I don't get many opportunties, so it was nice to get another one," Westwood said. "Listen, Maxi's dribble in the box, it just fell out to me. Archie (Goodwin) just showed me (the goal) back in the locker room and I thought I was closer than that, so to see how far out I was, it was pleasing. Once it left my boot, I knew it was in so it was a nice feeling."
D.C. United had an opportunity to level the game just a minute later with a 1-on-1, but Kristijan Kahlina saved the shot with his left foot. Kahlina’s kick save was one of five saves for him in the first half as United launched a first-half offensive assault to try and tie the score.
Charlotte FC nearly doubled their lead in the 36th minute when a Brandt Bronico cross found the foot of Liel Abada with a shooting lane in front of him. Abada took a shot on his first touch, but Johnson put his glove on it and kept The Crown’s lead at one.
D.C. United equalized quickly into the second half, scoring in the 47th minute. David Schnegg picked up a yellow card outside the box, giving United a free kick. Keisuke Kurokawa’s cross found the head of Lucas Bartlett for the tying goal.
Harry Toffolo came on for Schnegg in the 69th minute, seeing his first match action since August 1 after a hamstring injury kept him out of the lineup.
Saint-Maximin notched his first goal for Charlotte FC, giving The Crown a 2-1 lead in the 71st minute. Maxi received a pass from Westwood and took the ball down the left side of the box, beating Johnson with the shot and nailing a backflip to celebrate finding the back of the net.
"He produces magic moments doesn't he," Smith said. "He set (Ashley Westwood) up for his goal. He goes on the outside and scores his goal."
D.C. United continued their onslaught of shots as they tried to find a second goal, but Kahlina and Charlotte FC’s fortress defense didn’t allow it. The Crown finished with seven blocked shots while Kahlina tied his career-high with 10 saves.
"I think there's a real togetherness in the group that we work hard for each other, we're a group that everyone gets along," Westwood said. "That's a powerful thing when you've got a group of lads that are willing to fight for each other. We're on a run now and momentum is huge in football, so we want to keep that going for the important stages of the league."
The Crown return to Charlotte riding an eight-game unbeaten streak to take on the Chicago Fire on Saturday, September 26 at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
NEXT AT HOME
SEPTEMBER 26 @ 7:30 PM // POR LA CULTURA NIGHT
Join Charlotte FC on Saturday, September 26, for Por La Cultura Night to celebrate culture, community, and The Crown. The first fans to arrive will receive a limited-edition Giveaway presented by Compare Foods.
Limited quantities are available on a first‑come, first‑served basis and aren't guaranteed.
